Assessment target: Explain or justify with evidence how the alteration of the DNA sequence may produce new gene combinations that make little difference, enhance capabilities, or can be harmful to the organism (e.g., selective breeding, genetic engineering, mutations). LS1 (9-11)-2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis for heredity by …
2a: describing the DNA structure and relating the DNA sequence to the genetic code
2b: explain how DNA may be altered and how this affects genes/heredity
2c: describing how DNA contains the code for specific proteins
LS3 (Ext) -6 Students will demonstrate their understanding of the degree of genetic relationships among organisms by …
6a: describing how the Human Genome Project has contributed to our understanding of both human heredity and the commonality of DNA sequences among organisms.
Unpacking the Standards
What does the standard mean?
2a:
DNA is found in chromosomes, which are in the nucleus. DNA is smaller than the nucleus and the cell.
DNA is a double helix, like twisted ladders, 98% of which is not genes (in humans).
DNA is enormous, for a molecule, but still really small. Sense of relative scale.
DNA is made of long chains of small chemical units called nucleotide bases.
The order of the nucleotide bases in DNA carries information, like the order of letters in words and sentences.
There are only four ‘letters’ in the DNA alphabet, g, a, c, t, and they pair in the double helix as g-c, a-t.
Groups of three letters are read as ‘words’ called codons. Each codon codes for an amino acid.
. 2b:
DNA is found in chromosomes, which are in the nucleus. DNA is smaller than the nucleus and the cell.
DNA is a double helix, like twisted ladders, 98% of which is not genes (in humans).
DNA is enormous, for a molecule, but still really small. Sense of relative scale.
DNA is made of long chains of small chemical units called nucleotide bases.
The order of the nucleotide bases in DNA carries information, like the order of letters in words and sentences.
There are only four ‘letters’ in the DNA alphabet, g, a, c, t, and they pair in the double helix as g-c, a-t.
Groups of three letters are read as ‘words’ called codons. Each codon codes for an amino acid.
2c:
DNA is transcribed into a portable molecule called RNA
messenger RNAs carry instructions for making a protein
ribosomal RNA makes up a large part of the protein making machines, ribosomes
transfer RNAs bring amino acids to the protein making machinery
RNA messages are translated into proteins
Students need to be able to code and decode DNA into amino acids
Students should know the special codes for stop and start
Teachers should learn about introns and exons, and how the coding of DNA is an interrupted process. Eukaryotic gene sequences are not continuous.
6a:
looks at how studying the Human Genome Project has led to an avenue that has promoted discovery in the scientific field studying gene sequences and what you can do to manipulate gene sequences to benefit humans.
What do students need to understand before you can address this topic?
that differences between organisms are important, and do matter.
Organisms that are more fit will tend to survive and reproduce more often.
Transcription and translation processes.
Gene Mapping
What prior (mis)understandings are students likely to have about these topics?
Mutations are always bad,
mutations cause super powers,
mutations are the same as cancer.
Students misunderstand scale of DNA.
Ethical questions and concerns: good vs bad
What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?
3-D models are important to understand double helix structure.
Have students make mutations to DNA.
Personal Genome Mapping
What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?
students build model of DNA from paper or clay
Connects has a DNA model
Students send mesages in amino acid form, coding and decoding.
Students will research a particular mutation, and find out the effects.(We will provide list of disorders, cystic fibrosis, polydactly, albinism, sickle-cell anemia, etc….)
Students will research mapping and modifying genes and find out what benefits it may have if any
GSE's
Genetics
Assessment target: Explain or justify with evidence how the alteration of the DNA sequence may produce new gene combinations that make little difference, enhance capabilities, or can be harmful to the organism (e.g., selective breeding, genetic engineering, mutations).LS1 (9-11)-2 Students demonstrate an understanding of the molecular basis for heredity by …
- 2a: describing the DNA structure and relating the DNA sequence to the genetic code
- 2b: explain how DNA may be altered and how this affects genes/heredity
- 2c: describing how DNA contains the code for specific proteins
LS3 (Ext) -6 Students will demonstrate their understanding of the degree of genetic relationships among organisms by …Unpacking the Standards
What does the standard mean?
2a:- DNA is found in chromosomes, which are in the nucleus. DNA is smaller than the nucleus and the cell.
- DNA is a double helix, like twisted ladders, 98% of which is not genes (in humans).
- DNA is enormous, for a molecule, but still really small. Sense of relative scale.
- DNA is made of long chains of small chemical units called nucleotide bases.
- The order of the nucleotide bases in DNA carries information, like the order of letters in words and sentences.
- There are only four ‘letters’ in the DNA alphabet, g, a, c, t, and they pair in the double helix as g-c, a-t.
- Groups of three letters are read as ‘words’ called codons. Each codon codes for an amino acid.
.2b:
- DNA is found in chromosomes, which are in the nucleus. DNA is smaller than the nucleus and the cell.
- DNA is a double helix, like twisted ladders, 98% of which is not genes (in humans).
- DNA is enormous, for a molecule, but still really small. Sense of relative scale.
- DNA is made of long chains of small chemical units called nucleotide bases.
- The order of the nucleotide bases in DNA carries information, like the order of letters in words and sentences.
- There are only four ‘letters’ in the DNA alphabet, g, a, c, t, and they pair in the double helix as g-c, a-t.
- Groups of three letters are read as ‘words’ called codons. Each codon codes for an amino acid.
2c:- DNA is transcribed into a portable molecule called RNA
- messenger RNAs carry instructions for making a protein
- ribosomal RNA makes up a large part of the protein making machines, ribosomes
- transfer RNAs bring amino acids to the protein making machinery
- RNA messages are translated into proteins
- Students need to be able to code and decode DNA into amino acids
- Students should know the special codes for stop and start
- Teachers should learn about introns and exons, and how the coding of DNA is an interrupted process. Eukaryotic gene sequences are not continuous.
6a:What do students need to understand before you can address this topic?
What prior (mis)understandings are students likely to have about these topics?
What phenomena and representations help students understand these topics?
What activities or activity sequences can be used to address these GSEs?